Policies

Financial Penalties

Following are payment-related penalties that may be incurred:

Late Fees Failure to make any payment on or before the due date results in a late fee of 3% of the student’s outstanding balance, calculated on each payment deadline. Other fees will be deducted before payments are applied to the outstanding tuition amount.

Returned Check Fee A $40 fee will be charged for each unpaid check returned by the bank, plus any additional late fee penalties. Furthermore, VIU will recalculate the late fee daily until the balance is cleared.

Credit Card Charge-Back Fee A fee in the amount of 3% will be added to the student’s account for credit card charge-backs.

Wire Transfer Refund FeeIn the event that a student must receive a refund via wire transfer, a fee will be incurred to cover the cost of the transfer. International transfers will result in a $40.00 fee, and domestic transfers will result in a $25.00 fee.

Cancellation and Refund Policy

If a student elects to drop one or more courses or withdraw from the university, the following refund schedule will be used to determine any outstanding financial obligation for which the student may be responsible:

Last Date of Attendance

Tuition Refund Amount*

Up to the last day of the add/drop period

100% of the semester tuition

After the add/drop period and through 25% of the semester

50% of the semester tuition

Through 50% of the semester

25% of the semester tuition

After 50% of the semester

No refund will be issued

*Excludes all fees The official withdrawal date, for the purpose of a refund calculation, shall be the last date on which the student was recorded present for a class. If no payment was made, or if the student was participating in a payment plan and the payments are insufficient to cover the student’s obligation according to the schedule above, then the university will send the student a bill for the difference. If the student’s financial obligation is not fulfilled, VIU is authorized to take the following actions until the monies owed are paid:

Withhold the release of the student’s academic records or any information based upon the records

Withhold the release of the student’s transcripts

If the student’s account remains delinquent, VIU reserves the right to terminate enrollment and cancel the F-1 Visa of international students; late tuition payments are subject to financial penalties

To request a refund please fill and submit the refund request form to This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it..

Institutional Withdrawal Policy

A student may withdraw from the university when circumstances beyond the student’s control make it impossible for him or her to complete coursework for the semester. A student wishing to withdraw from the university must complete the relevant section of the Institutional Withdrawal form, obtain the needed school officials’ signatures, and submit the completed form to the Registrar’s Office. The student will receive a grade of “W” if he or she withdraws between the second and tenth week of the semester for 15-week courses, between the second and fifth week of the semester for eight-week courses, or between the second and fourth week of the session for seven-week courses. A student who does not withdraw from the university before the deadline will receive a failing grade or a letter grade based upon his or her performance in the course(s). The institutional refund policy is applied to determine if the institution is required to provide a refund to the student. Students who fail to register by the end of the add/drop period are automatically considered to be officially withdrawn from the university.

To initiate the withdrawal process, the student must submit an Institutional Withdrawal form. Students may obtain a hard copy of the form from the Accounting Office.

Special Cases

In special cases, such as in the documented event of prolonged illness, accident, or death in a student’s immediate family (parents, siblings, children, or spouse) or other special circumstances which make it impractical for the student to complete his or her program, Virginia International University will work toward a settlement that is reasonable and fair to both parties.